The Crystal Key

Infobox VG
title =
developer = DreamCatcher Interactive
publisher = DreamCatcher Interactive
designer =
distributor =
engine =
released = March 30, 2000
genre = Graphic adventure
modes = Single-player
ratings = vgratings|ESRB=Everyone
platforms = Microsoft Windows

The Crystal Key is a graphic adventure video game published by DreamCatcher Interactive in 2000. The gameplay is very similar to other games in the genre, such as Myst or Zork in that you click around your environment to walk, pick up items, and manipulate tools. The storyline is set in the future, where the protagonist is sent to another planet to investigate the source of a cryptic message from an evil alien race. The player begins the game having crash landed on the planet and must explore the world, find a crystal key and portal which would help the player defeat the race and bring peace to the galaxy.

Reception

The game got mediocre reviews, most of which were criticizing how much it mimicked other games of the same genre without bringing anything new. The game was released in a time when other adventure games, such as the new Myst sequels were getting panned by critics for the same reasons.

The title did not sell very well, primarily because adventure games at the time were being phased out in favor of more graphically intensive FPS and RPG games.